On the Vegas Golden Knights and NHL Expansion day ….
Bob McKenzie fired off all the below tweets this morning with his take of what has gone down so far.
Bob McKenzie: “Welcome to NHL Expansion Draft Day. Fascinating times. Multiple deals have been done; may only be tip of iceberg heading into CHI for draft.”
Bob McKenzie: “Let’s discuss what’s coming; what we know; what we think we know; what we don’t know. Not everything here will be take-it-to-the-bank solid.”
Bob McKenzie: “If it’s a fact or certainty, it’ll be duly noted. If it’s speculation, guesswork, rumor etc., that too. Please to try to discern difference.”
Bob McKenzie: “As near as we can tell, VGK consummated at least 8 trades prior to NHL teams having to submit their protected/exposed lists on Saturday.”
Bob McKenzie: “There now may be a total of at least a dozen trades, if not more, in the hopper for VGK. Let’s discuss those we know or think we know.”
Bob McKenzie: “Let’s start with ANA. The belief is VGK will claim Clayton Stoner, pass on Manson/Vatanen and, in return for all that, get Shea Theodore.”
Bob McKenzie: “I can’t report that as a dead-set certain fact but there is a strong sense that is the ANA-VGK deal or something close to it.”
Bob McKenzie: “Next up, CHI. @frank_seravalli reported awhile back net result would be VGK getting Trevor van Riemsdyk and taking on Marcus Krueger.”
Bob McKenzie: “Next up, CBJ. @Aportzline has been all over this. Details are in the link below. Pretty much self explanatory: Columbus Dispatch: 1st round, David Clarkson and a prospect (not Pierre-Luc Dubois or Sonny Milano) to not select Josh Anderson, Joonas Korpisalo or Jack Johnson.
Bob McKenzie: “Next up, PIT. Get sense this may have been first of all deals done with VGK. PIT sends draft pick to VGK to ensure new home for M-A Fleury.”
Bob McKenzie: “Fleury, BTW, expected to be on hand/introduced during NHL Awards show. As I said Tuesday, he strikes me as likely face of VGK franchise.”
Bob McKenzie: “Finally, TB. “Hearing” VGK may take Garrison contract from TB. No details beyond that; not yet sure on incentive or anything firm, TBH.”
Bob McKenzie: “Those are only expected/rumored/reported pre-freeze deals. VGK bound to have secondary trades on tap, claiming a player, then flipping him.”
Bob McKenzie: “All these VGK deals have created quite a logjam. NHL GMs alternately awestruck/aggravated at how VGK GM George McPhee orchestrated it all.”
Bob McKenzie: “Many talking about “The Pledge.” That is, if VGK did deal with team, VGK insisted that team not do any other deals that could harm VGK.”
Bob McKenzie: “All this, of course, The Pledge that is, was in the context of pre-freeze.”
Bob McKenzie: “So from the moment a team did a deal with VGK, that team couldn’t make pre-freeze trade with a third party if it affected VGK in any way.”
Bob McKenzie: “Many rival GMs concede McPhee did excellent job of maximizing his leverage in unique situation, likes of which has never been seen in NHL.”
Bob McKenzie: “Net effect, tho, is many GMs are champing at bit to start making deals again when “freeze” is lifted at 8 a.m. ET Thursday. Handcuffs off.”
Bob McKenzie: “Anyway, thanks for indulging in this tweet storm, that’s what I know; what I think I know; what I don’t know. We’ll see today what’s what.